Review: Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop

Reviewed by Jen

I am still waiting to be bowled over by this series. I hoped this would be book that would do it. I figured Janelle would finally age past puberty and give poor Daemon the chance to love her. I was only half right. Janelle does grow up, but I kept waiting and waiting for her reunion with Daemon. Only to end the damn book still waiting. That’s right. They spend the entire book apart.

But Jen, you say, this isn’t a romance novel. You can’t judge the book on the romance… or lack of it. And you are totally right. The book did not fail me because the romance failed me. It failed me because I spent the entire book waiting for something to happen that never did. Does this mean there was nothing redeeming about the book? No. There were some things that were well done. But I do not like walking away from any book feeling this frustrated. Like I was jerked around.

As the story begins, Janelle is in a coma. In fact, she is in a coma for a few years. Saetan has custody of her and provides her an environment and the family to help her heal when she finally does wake up. Her story is about her coming to terms with what has happened to her as she tries to rebuild her life and the relationships she had as a child. In the process, the world building expands further, taking us to new lands and introducing us to the other people who matter to Janelle, including not only people but “kindred,” self aware beings like unicorns and dragons.

Meanwhile, Daemon is completely losing his marbles after what he endured saving Janelle’s sanity. Thanks to interference from the evil queens, Lucivar has turned his back on him and convinced him HE is responsible for Janelle’s rape. I kept thinking he would get off the crazy train. But it went on and on and on. His healing and reunion with Janelle were the carrots on the string throughout.

It wasn’t all frustrating. I really enjoyed the evolution of Saetan. I love how Janelle has so completely changed his life. I also loved Lucivar in the second half, especially his relationship with his sister. And, of course, the ending is fantastic. How everything comes together for Janelle is brilliant and exciting.

The book is imaginative and sweeping. And frustrating. And a little over the top.

I so agree with you about this series! Everyone rants and raves about it and I feel weird because I couldn’t even finish the first book! I am a huge fantasy reader as well as romance but found it too dark.
However, I am madly in love with her Others series. Loved written in red and murder of crows:)